Bias cutting machine



NOV 21, 1933.y c. s. MccHEsNEY Er AL 1,935,780

BIAS CUTTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 14, 1931 e sheets-sheet `1 ma. 77M ATTORNEYS Nov. 21, 1933. Q s, MCCHESNEY E1- AL `1,935,780

BIAS CUTTING- MACHINEl Filed Feb. 14, 1931 s sheets-sheet 2 ma v-oaam. ATTORNEYS Nov. 21, 1933*. c. s, MCCHESNEY AL 1,935,780

BIAS CUTTING- MACHINE Filed Feb. 14. 1931 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 /Vo//cELnu/.s'o/v CORNELL m2 ATTORNEYS NOV- v21, 1933- c. s. MccHEsNEY Er AL 1,935,780

BIAS CUTTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 14, 1931 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 NOV 21 1933- c. s. MccHEsNvl-:Y Er Al.

BIAS CUTTING MACHINE Filed Feb.- 14', 1951 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS Nov. 21, 1933. Q s, MCCHESNEY ET AL 1,935,780

BIAS CUTTING MACHINE Filed Fe'b. 14, 1931 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 BY ma, 776W. ATTORNEYS Patented Nev. 21, 1933 f r 1,935,780

1,935,780 l BIAS CUTTING MACHINE Cuyler S. McChesney, Kenmore, and Frederick Gordon Reid and Noyce Lawson Cornell, Buffalo, N. Y., assignors to Dunlop Tire and Rubber Corporation, Buffalo, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application February 14, 1931. Serial No. 515,670

9 Claims. (Cl. 27h-2.4)

Our invention relates to an apparatus for cut- Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a bias cutting fabric ting fabrics into strips on a bias for use in the take-01T mechanism embodying api'eerred form rubber industry and for other uses, and more of the invention;

` particularly to a mechanism for varying the Fig.v 2 is a plan view of the mechanism shown Y 5 width of fabric between successive bias cuts. in Fig. l; 6i)

The invention also relates to an apparatus for Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are front elevation, plan and handling the fabric which has'been cut on a bias. side elevation views of a portion of the mecha- In apparatus for cutting fabrics on a bias the msm Yfor controlling the width changing appafabric is advanced between each cutting by a ratus; i

drum or equivalent feeding means which is ro- Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are, respectively, side, plan G5.

tated or advanced, by a crank arm or other suitand cross-sectional views of another part of the able means, through a ratchet and tra'nsrnis- Width changing mechanism; sion mechanism. To vary the Width of the fa'o- Figs. 9, i0 and 11 are are detailed side elevaric advanced between successive cuts in machines tion views of` the mechanism for moving the V heretofore used, it has been necessary to stop the fabric between successive bias cuttings; 70 machine and adjust the length of the actuating 12 is a perspective View of a part ci the crank ann by moving its point of connection with take-off mechanism and the transmission mechanism to a greater or less Fig. 13 is a perspective View of a part of the distance from the axis of rotation. This has indrive mechanism for advancing the fabric.

volved a considerable loss of time in the use of n the embodiment of the invention shown in. 75 these machines, particularly as the crank on the accompanying drawings, the fabric to be cut which this adjustment was made was usually on a'bias is advanced longitudinally at intersomewhat remote from the take-olf side of the Valscbetween each cutting operation by means machine at which the fabric was removed and Of afdllm WhiCh iS feta'ed e peripheral diet-ance thus somewhat distant from the position occuequal to the`width of fabric tobe severed. rEhe 80 pied by the operator. drum is rotated by means of a continuously ro- An object of our invention is to provide an tating crank arm from Which a reciprocating apparatus for the bias cutting of fabrics in which lnOtOn iS Obtained, by Suitable linkages, end iS the changes of Vwidth between successive cuttings transmitted to the drum through a quadrant may be easily and quickly made Without stopand ratchet. The angular distance through S5 ping the machine. which the drum Yis rotated through each recipro- Further objects of the invention are to provide cation by the quadrant is controlled by the angle an apparatus of the above type in which the adof Voscillation of the latter, which is, in turn, conjustment of the machine for different widths betiolled by the eTeClfVe length O the Crank arm.

tween cuttings may be made at a remote point In the embodiment of the invention this eec- 9o from the cutting mechanism; to provide a mechtive length is controlled by means of a rocker anism in which the cut fabric is brought toa arm or lever connected in xedrelation to the convenient position for the separation and reactuating crank by a link and connected to the moval of the bias cut strips; to providean appaquadrant by a'link Whose distance from the axis 40 ratus in which the mechanism for taking off the of the rocker arm or lever is controlled by a 95 bias cut strips is driven independently of the cutscrew and nut carried on the lever and geared ting mechanism and is synchronized Ywith the to a control mechanismso that it may be rotated speed of the cutting mechanism and further to to adjust the point of connection ofthe link at provide a control mechanism for synchronizing any time without stopping the rocking of the the take-oil and cutting apparatus that is senrocker arm. For this purpose the gearing of 10o sitive to the speed of the take-off mechanism the screw and nut device on the rocker arm is relative to the'cutting mechanism, that is readily connected to the actuating mechanism through' operable and controlled by a light touch of the a universal-joint aligned with the axis of the fold of the fabric between the cutting and takerocker arm.

oif mechanism. v j The adjustments of Widths are made between 105 These and other advantages of the invention successive cuts in order that the cutting line shall will appear more in detail from the following not be'disturbed or subject to deviations; In the specification. event that the variation is too Wide tovbe made Various features of the invention are illusbetween a pair of successive cuttings, the

trated in the accompanying drawingsinwhichzquadrant may be unmeshed from the ratchet 110 thereby temporarily stopping the movement of the drum.

The fabric is not completely severed into bias strips by the cutting operation but is Vso cut as to leave sufficient continuous fabric to permit handling until brought to a convenient point for complete severing. The cut fabric'is, therefore, permitted to pass from the cutting mechanism through a. downwardly falling fold to the takeoff mechanism which is driven separately and independently of the cutting mechanism andcarries the cloth over a drop arranged in a bias position so that the cuts are horizontal andthe bias cut strips may be separated and handled.

The speed of the take-off machine is so controlled that it synchronizes With the cutting mechanism, being speeded up by the dropfof the fold and retarded by the taking up of the fold between the two machines.

Referring more particularly to the accompanying drawings, the length of fabric 20 is drawnover a drum 21, which is intermittently rotated in the direction of the arrow, Fig. l, and

is severed on a bias between the movements of the drum 21 by means of a cutting mechanism not forming a part of the present invention and not shown in the accompanying drawings. Power for driving the drum 21 is supplied from an electric motor 22, Fig. 13, or other suitable source of power, through gears 23 to a shaft 24 and thence through a clutch 25`to a driving shaft 26 mounted in bearing 27 in the frame 23 of the machine. A crank arm 29 is secured on the projecting end of the shaft 26 (Figs. 1, 2 and 13) and is thus rotated continuously.Y The rotational movement of the crank arm 29 is transformed intol a reciprocating movement and transmitted, through a link 30, to a rocker larm 1 which is pivoted in a bearing 32 in the frame of the machine by means of Va side-wise projecting shaft 33 (Figs. 6 and 8). The reciprocating movement of the rocker arm 31 is transmitted through a link 34 to one end of a quadrant 35 which is mounted on a rock shaft 36. The rocking or oscillating movement. thus imparted'to the quadrant 35 is transmitted to a pinion 37 which meshes with the teeth of the quadrant 35, and from the pinion 37 a forward movement is transmitted through a pawl`38 on the pinion 37,

Fig; 11, to a ratchet wheel 39 and to a shaft 46 on which the ratchet wheel 39 and the drum 21 are mounted. Thus the rocking movement of the quadrant 35 is transformed into a source of intermittent forward movements of the drum 21 and the extent of each movement is proportional to the swing or angle of movement of the quadrant 35. The angle of oscillation of the quadrant 35 is varied by adjusting the distance, from the axis of the shaft 33, of the connection of the link 34 to the rocker arm 3l. For this purpose the arm 31 Vis made in a channel form or U-shaped in cross section, as shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8, and is provided With a longitudinally extending screw 41 which is journaled in opposite ends 42 and 43 of the arm 31. On the screw 41 is mounted a nut `44 which is longitudinally slidable and guided in the channel ofthe arm 3l. and is pivotally con.- nected by a pin 45 to the lower end of the link 34. It' will be evident that, as thescrew 41 is rotated in one direction or the other, the nut 44 will travel to or from the axis of the shaft 33,

and will thus vary the extent of throw of the link 34 and the angle of oscillation of the quadrant 35 to thusY vary the distance of rotation of -universal joint 52, the axis of the joint being in line with the axis of the rock shaft 33 so that the arm 3l and, with it, the shaft 48 rock about the axis of the universal joint and the latter remainsl in fixed position during the rocking of the arm 31.

The shaft 48 may thus be rotated by the shaft 51 while the shaft 48'and the rocker arm 31 rock about vthc axis of the shaft 33. The shaft 51 may be rotated, to rotate the shaft 48 and screw 41 and thus adjust the position of the nut 44 and the movement of the drum 2i directly by a crank or wheel or from avdistance by any suitable gearing.

In the embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings, the shaft 51v is connected through bearings in the frame 64 of the take-mfr" machine'` The at one side of the bias cutting apparatus. shaft 63 is rotated in 4one direction or the other by means of a hand wheel 65, journaled in the frame 64, through bevel gear 66 mounted on the shaft 67 of the hand wheel 65 and a bevel gear 68 mounted onv thevupper vend of the shaft 63. Thus the rotation of. the hand wheel in one direction or another is transmitted through shafts 67, 63, 60, 55, 51 and 48 and through the gears 47 and 46 to the screw 41 and rotates'the screw 4l in proportion tothe rotation of the hand wheel 65. The position of the nut 44 and its distance from the axis of the rock shaft is thus controlled by the position of Vthe hand wheel for all positions of the rocker 31 and during the rocking of the latter. I

The extent of rotation of the hand wheel 65 in one direction or another is indicated by means of a dial 69 which is geared through. a gear train 70 to a shaft 67 and which is provided with a series'of markspositioned to be brought adjacent the pointer 71 as the dial is moved. The gear train 70 is so designed that the marks on the dial 69 will indicate the distance of the nut 44 on the axis of the arm 41 or will indicate the proportionate movement of the periphery of the drum 21 and thus. the width of the strip between the successive movements.

Y The action of the cutting mechanism is such as to cut the fabric in a bias direction without completely severing the cut strips and so that the latter will hang together in a continuous fabric While subjected tothe necessary handling but which can be readily pulled apart by the opera-4 tor when they are brought to a position to be splicedtogether end to end. As the fabric is de-` livered over the delivery edge of the drum 21, the cuts travel diagonally downwardly as indicated at 72, Figs. l2, 1 and. 2, andare not in a oon-4 73 and is then passed between an upper endless band or series of bands or ribbons 74 trained by the upper pulley 75 and the lower pulley 76,v

and a series of lower parallel bands or strips 77 trained about a lowerdrum or roller '78 and passing over an upper drum 79 and then over individual pulleys 88 in the. same planeas the upper drum 79 but at successively increasing Vdistances so that the line of their axes is parallel to the cuttings 72. v

The fabric is carried upwardly between the adjacent lengths of the endless bands or strips 74 and 77 and then delivered in a horizontal direction over the pulley 79 to the spaced pulleys It then drops downwardly over the pulleys 80. As the pulleys 80 are parallel to the cuts 72, the strips between the latter hang in a parallel direction so' that they may be separated and individually detached by a sharp downward pull and thus brought onto the table 81 ina convenient position for splicing them at their ends in a continuous bias strip, whereupon they may be rolled on a roller 82. The drums or rollers 76 are driven from a motor 83 mounted on a frame 64 through a suitable belt indicated at 84 and trained over the pulley 85, keyed on a projecting end of the shaft 76. The drum 78 is driven at an equal speed to the drum 76 by means of a belt 86V trained over a pulley 87 'i keyed to the shaft of the drum 76 andv over a of levers 89 mounted on a rock shaft 90 and projecting into a position tome'et the fold 73. The levers 89 are so balanced as to swing into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 but can be changed into the position shown in full Ilines therein by a light contact with the fold` 73 when the latter increases in length.

Mounted on the levers 89 are electric switches 91 that are connected to the control of the driving motor V83 of the take-off` mechanism in such La manner that when the levers 89 are depressed to their lowermost position, contact is made between the leads 32 and 93 for controlling current to the motor 83 and when the fold '73 is taken up and the levers 89 swing to their upperlmost position, the circuit is broken and the motor 83 stopped or retarded until a length of foldv again accumulates between the cutting and takeoff machine.

When a small change is to be made Vin the width of the bias strips, it may be made by rotating the wheel 65 during the return movement of the quadrant 35. However, if the change in width is too great to perrm't a sufficient rotation of the wheel 65 during this short period voi return movement, the machine may be stopped temporarily either bydisengaging the clutch or by moving the quadrant out of mesh with the pinion 37.

To operate the clutch from a position convenient to the table 8l, a foot lever or I,pair

of foot levers 94 are mounted on a rock shaft 95 that extends from the front part of the takeoff machine to proximity to the shaft 24 and is provided with suitable yokes 96 to engage the iclutch. To move the quadrant 35 out of en- .necting rod 30.

gagement with the pinion 37, the quadrant 35 is pivoted on an keccentric 97, the position of which is controlled by an arm 98 which, when in a downwardly pointed position, as shown in Fig. 9, projects the quadrant 35 into mesh with the pinion 37, but when tilted upwardly to the position shown'in Fig. 10, swings the quadrant out of mesh.

The tilting of the arm 98 is accomplished by, means of a piston 9,9 in a cylinder 100 having pipes 101 and 102 to admit air or other iluid to one end or the other vof the cylinder l0() and thus move the piston 99 and swing the arm 98. In rsum, the operation of the apparatus is briefly as followsz- Y A continuous rotary motion is imparted to the crank arm 29 from a driving motor 22 through the gears 23 and the clutch 25 and from the rotating arm 29 a rocking movement is imparted to the pivoted rock arm 31 by means of a con- Aswing of fixed amplitude is thus imparted to the rocking lever 3l. This rocking movement of the lever 31 Yis transmitted to the quadrant 35 and transformed into an oscillating movement by means of the connecting rod 34, the point'of attachment of which is adjustable lengthwise of the lever 35. oscillation movement of the quadrant 35 is transmitted to the pinion 37 and from the latter is transformed into an intermittent forward movement by means of the pawl andratchet 38-39, Fig. 11, and transmitted to the shaft 40 and drum 21 by which the'fabric is advanced'at intervals. The cloth is cut between intervals of movement by means of a standard cutting apparatus not shown.

The point oi attachment of the connecting rod 34 to the lever 3l is adjusted by means oi a screw 41 rotatably mounted in the arm 31 and threaded through a nut 44, to which the lower end of the connecting rod 34 is attached, so vthat as the screw is rotated in one direction it moves the nut 34 towards the pivot of the lever 31 and, as it is rotated inthe opposite direction, moves the nut 34 away from the pivotal axis of the lever.

The

The rotation of the screw 41 is actuated from a Y hand wheel 65 through the gears and shaft 67, 66, 68, 63, 62 and'l, Fig. 5, 60, 59. 58 and 55, Fig. 1, and 54 and 53 to the shaft 52, one end of which is secured into a universal joint 52 in alignment with the axis of swing of the lever 31. Throughrthe universal joint 52, the rotation ofthe shaft 51 is transmitted to a shaft 48 which is mounted on the'rocks with the lever 31 and thence through the gears 47 and 46 to the screw 41.

The fabric 20 is severed diagonally or on a bias by the cutting apparatus, leaving just sun".- cient material to form a continuous strip but suciently cut that the strips between cuts can be 'readily'separated The fabric falls in a fold as shown in Fig. 1 and is then conveyed by means of the endless belts 74 and 77 to a horizontal plane and then falls downwardly over Vthe biased or diagonallyspaced pulleys 80 thus bringing the bias cuts 72 in a horizontal position. The endless belts 74 and 77 are driven from a motor 83 which is controlled by means of mercury switches 91. 'Ihe switches 91 are mounted on lever arms 89 positioned in the fall of a fold 73 and acting when depressed to start the motor 83 and when raised to stop or retard the motor ,and thus synchronize the receiving belt 74 and 77 with the cutting mechanism.

Various modificationsmay be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the invention asdefined in the following claims: L What we claim is: 3 1.*An apparatus for advancing `thefabric for bias cutting which comprises a drum, a recipro- 'cating member, a rocker arm rocked by said reciprocating member, a ratchet transmission between said rocker arm and said drum, a connecting rod from said transmission means to said rocker arm, and means for adjusting the point-of attachment of said transmission means to said rocker arm at a desired distance from the axis of oscillation of said arm, said adjusting means having a te 1. inal at the axis of oscillation of said arm and a fixed actuating member connected thereto at said axis by a universal connection.

2. An apparatus foradvancing the fabric for bias cutting which comprises a drum, a pivoted arm, a ratchet transmission member between said arm and said drum and a screw Vand nut connection onsaid arm for securing said transmission member thereto to adjust its distance from the pivotal axis of .said arm, said screw having a driving means terminating at the pivotal axis of said arm and a driving member connecled thereto at said axis by a` universal connection.

3. An apparatus for intermittently advancing the fabric for bias cutting which comprises a Ldrum, a pivoted rocker arm, a ratchet transmission mechanism betweenl said rocker arm and said drum, a screw mounted longitudinally on saidrocker arm, a nut on said screw, means for connecting said transmission mechanism tov said nut, meansterminating at the axis oi said rocker arm to rotate said screw and an actuating mechanism connected to said means at said axis.

4. An apparatus for intermittently advancing the fabric for bias cutting which comprises a rotatable drum,. a rotating arm, a rocker arm, means for connecting said rotang arm to said rocker arm, a ratchet transmission mechanism between said drum and said rocker arm, means for securing said transmissionmechanismto said rocker arm, and means to vary the relative distance of the attachment of 'said transmission mechanism thereto from the axis of vsaid rocker arm, said means terminating at the on said rocker arm and having a universal connection at said axis. 1 Y

5. An apparatus for intermittently,advancing fabric for bias cutting which comprises a rotatable drum, a rotating arm, arccker arm, means for attaching said rotating armto saidrocker arm at dennite distances from their axes, a

transmission mechanism, means for securingsaidv arm, and means in said transmission mechanism for transforming the reciprocatingunotion of said rocker arm into anintermittent rotational movement of said drum, said adjusting meansv having a terminal at the axis of oscillation of said arm and a xed actuating member connected thereto at said axis by a universal connection.

6. A fabric advancing means for bias cutting Which comprises a drum, a rocker arm, means for rocking said arm through a denite angle amplitude, a gear segment, a connecting rod from said gear segment to said rocker arm, .means terminating at the axis of saidvrccker armior moving the point of connectionof the connecting krod to said arm lengthwise of said arm, a universal connection for said means at the axis of said rocker arm and means for transforming the reciprocating motion of said segment into an intermittent rotational movement and transmitting said movement to said drum.

7. An apparatus for intermittently advancing the fabric for bias cutting which comprises a rotatable drum, la rocker arm, means for rocking said rocker arm through a definite amplitude, a screw on said rocker arm, a nut on said screw, a gear segment, a connecting rod between said gear segment and said nut, a ratchet transmission mechanism between said gear segment and said drum, gearing on said rocker-arm for rotating said screw, a stationary transmission anda universal joint between said stationary mechanism and said mechanism on said rocker arm, said universal joint being in the axis of oscillation of said arm.

8. Apparatus for advancing fabric for bias cuttingv which comprises a drum, a rocker arm, means forrocking said rocher arm through a denite amplitude, a connecting rod between said'rocker arm and said drum, and adjustably attached to said rocker arm, means for transforming reciprocating movement of said ccnnecting rod to unidirectional movement to said drum andV means terminating at the axis of said rocker arm for Yadjusting the distance ci the point of attachment of said connecting rod to.

said rocker arm from the axis of said arm and means for driving said adjusting means through said end terminating at said axis.

9. vApparatus for advancing fabric for bias cutting` which comprises a drum, a rocker arm, means for rocking said rocker arm through a definite amplitude, means adjustably attached to said rocker arm for transmitting the reciprocating motion of said rocker arm to .said drum in a unidirectional motion, and means termina*- ing at the axis of said rocker arm for adjusting the point of attachment of said means to said rocker arm and means connecting said adusting vmeans at the axis of said rocker rm for transmitting motion to said adjusting means.

CUYLER S. MCCHESNEY. FREDERICK GORDON REID. NOYCE LAWSON CORNELL. 

